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The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)
| starring = Lon Chaney Patsy Ruth Miller Norman Kerry Nigel de Brulier Brandon Hurst | music = Cecil Copping Carl Edouarde Hugo Riesenfeld | cinematography = Robert Newhard Tony Kornman Virgil Miller Stephen S. Norton Charles J. Stumar | editing = Edward Curtiss Maurice Pivar Sydney Singerman | distributor = Universal Pictures | released = September 2, 1923 | runtime = 100 min | country = United States | awards = | language = Silent film English intertitles | budget = $1,250,000 (estimated) }} The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1923 American film directed by Wallace Worsley, starring Lon Chaney, and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg. The supporting cast includes Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Nigel de Brulier, and Brandon Hurst. The film was Universal's "Super Jewel" of 1923 and was their most successful silent film, grossing over $3 million. The film is most notable for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as Lon Chaney's performance and spectacular make-up as the tortured bell-ringer of Notre Dame. The film elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full star status in Hollywood, and also helped set a standard for later horror films, including Chaney's The Phantom of the Opera in 1925. In 1951, the film entered the public domain (in the USA) due to the claimants failure to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication. Synopsis The story is set in Paris ten years before Columbus discovered America. Quasimodo is a deaf, half-blind, hunchbacked bell-ringer of the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. His master, Jehan Frollo, the evil brother of the saintly archdeacon, Dom Claude Frollo, prevails upon him to kidnap Esmeralda, the adopted daughter of Clopin, the king of the oppressed beggars of Paris' underworld. The dashing Captain Phoebus rescues her from Quasimodo, while Jehan abandons him and flees. At first seeking a casual romance, Phoebus becomes entranced by Esmeralda, and takes her under his wing. Quasimodo is sentenced to be lashed in the public square. After being whipped, he begs for water. Esmeralda pities him, and brings him some. To their dismay, Jehan and Clopin both learn that Phoebus hopes to marry Esmeralda, despite being engaged to Fleur de Lys. Phoebus persuades Esmeralda to accompany him to a ball celebrating his appointment as Captain of the Guard by King Louis XI. He provides her with rich garments and introduces her to their hostess, Madame de Gondelaurier, as a Princess of Egypt. Clopin, accompanied by his beggars, crashes the festivities and demands Esmeralda be returned. To avoid bloodshed, Esmeralda says that she does not belong with the aristocracy. Later, however, Esmeralda sends street poet Pierre Gringoire to give Phoebus a note, arranging a rendezvous at Notre Dame to say goodbye to him. There, Jehan stabs Phoebus in the back and lays the blame on Esmeralda. She is tortured into giving a false confession and sentenced to death. However, she is rescued from the gallows by Quasimodo and carried inside the cathedral, where she is granted sanctuary, temporarily protecting her from arrest. Clopin leads the whole of the underworld to storm the cathedral that night, while Jehan attempts to take Esmeralda, first by guile (telling her that Phoebus's dying wish was for him to take care of her), then by force. Quasimodo holds off the invaders with rocks and torrents of molten lead. Meanwhile, the healed Phoebus is alerted by Gringoire and leads his men against the rabble. When Quasimodo finds Jehan attacking Esmeralda, he throws his master off the ramparts of Notre Dame, but not before being fatally stabbed in the back. Phoebus finds and embraces Esmeralda. Witnessing this, Quasimodo rings his own death toll. The last image is of the great bell, swinging silently above the corpse of Quasimodo. Cast * Lon Chaney as Quasimodo * Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda * Norman Kerry as Captain Phoebus * Kate Lester as Madame de Gondelaurier * Winifred Bryson as Fleur de Lys * Nigel De Brulier as Claude Frollo * Brandon Hurst as Jehan Frollo * Ernest Torrence as Clopin Trouillefou * Tully Marshall as King Louis XI * Harry von Meter as Monsieur Neufchatel * Raymond Hatton as Pierre Gringoire * Nick De Ruiz as Monsieur le Torteru * Eulalie Jensen as Marie * Roy Laidlaw as Jacques Charmolue * Ray Myers as Charmolue's assistant * William Parke as Josephus * Gladys Brockwell as Gudule * John Cossar as Judge of the Court * Edwin Wallock as King's Chamberlain * Louise LaPlanche as Gypsy girl Censorship The filmmakers didn't want to portray Claude Frollo as he was in the original novel due to him being a Roman Catholic and the villain of the story. So, instead of being the villain, he is a good archdeacon, and his brother Jehan is the main antagonist. This also was changed in the 1939 version of the story. Preservation Original prints of the film were on cellulose nitrate film stock and were either worn out, decomposed or were destroyed by the studio (mostly the latter). Original prints were on tinted film stock in various colors, including sunshine, amber, rose, lavender and blue. The only surviving prints of the film are 16 mm "show-at-home" prints distributed by Universal in the 1920s and 1930s for home-movie purposes, and no original 35mm negatives or prints survive. Most video editions (including public domain releases) of the film are derived from 16 mm duplicate prints that were distributed by Blackhawk Films in the 1960s and 1970s. A DVD release of a newly restored print of the film was released by Image Entertainment on October 9, 2007. A print of the film is held at Gosfilmofond Russian State Archive, however it is not clear what gauge the print is in, 16mm or 35mm. See also * List of films in the public domain References External links * * * * * Category:1923 films Category:American films Category:American silent feature films Category:American romantic drama films Category:Black-and-white films Category:1920s drama films Category:Films based on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Category:Films directed by Wallace Worsley Category:Films set in Paris Category:Films produced by Irving Thalberg Category:Universal Monsters film series Category:Universal Pictures films